CanopyLAB partners with Promise Hub to bring digital opportunities to the rising billions of Internet users, located in the underserved regions of the world.

Founded by two entrepreneurs, Dave Erickson and Harald Neidhardt,Promise Hub is an organization that aims to migrate digital opportunities to people in need, as opposed to people migrating to where the opportunities lie. By spreading access to education and e-commerce opportunities to underserved regions, Promise Hub hopes to create digital entrepreneurs who build local businesses that solve local problems and help develop sustainable local economies.

How does their mission take shape on the ground? The answer lies in the local community center, or the “hub” itself. Using cheap and sustainable local materials, in this case plastic bottles collected by locals, Promise Hub builds community centers that provide access to Internet, smart devices, the latest technologies and, most importantly, a safe space for learning and engagement activities. The hub is where members will learn the Promise Hub curriculum, focusing on personal development, especially for those who are healing from trauma and entrepreneurial skills to create proactive local entrepreneurs.

CanopyLAB’s roleAs Promise Hub’s digital partner, CanopyLAB will be providing access to our platform to both Promise Hub’s staff and regular members and local learners in Uganda. To start off, the staff on the ground will use CanopyLAB’s platform as their digital training ground to learn about Promise Hub philosophies, ways of working and rules of engagement. They will also be able to share their experience on the ground both within and between different Promise Hub locations through our social networking function. Meanwhile, regular members who are local residents in the area where a Promise Hub center is located will use CanopyLAB’s platform to learn about entrepreneurship through a mixture of lessons and hands-on activities.

Within 2018, the organization aims to identify and open five Promise Hub locations in Uganda, Jordan and Lebanon. As September approaches, Promise Hub and CanopyLAB are busy working towards opening the very first hub in the Refugee Settlement of Nakivale, Uganda. This will be a big milestone for not only Promise Hub but also CanopyLAB as it will mark our first foray into Africa and be the first step towards our mission of bringing digital learning opportunities to underserved communities, a mission we share with Promise Hub.

As virtually everyone gets connected approaching 2020, we are excited to help take responsibility for ensuring new populations on the Internet have access to quality learning opportunities. Promise Hub is just the right partner to help achieve that, and I cannot wait to visit the first Promise Hub later this year.

“As virtually everyone gets connected approaching 2020, we are excited to help take responsibility for ensuring new populations on the Internet have access to quality learning opportunities. Promise Hub is just the right partner to help achieve that, and I cannot wait to visit the first Promise Hub later this year” said CanopyLAB co-founder Sahra-Josephine Hjorth in reference to the partnership and her forthcoming trip to Uganda.